07 Oct 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Quotes by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A. c. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, accept Krsna's plan, Arjuna, authorized plan for happiness, Bg. 18.66, Bhagavad-gita, Krishna consciousness movement, Krsna, morning walk with Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada Connection, prabhupada conversation, Prabhupada Letters, quotes by Srila Prabhupada, sarva dharman, Srila Prabhupada
Thanks again to Padmapani Prabhu at The Prabhupada Connection for compiling this nice list of quotes on accepting the authorized plan for happiness.
“So far your thinking about things and making so many plans, that is all right, but our first business is Krishna’s plan. That is the only plan, and no matter how many schemes we employ to adjust things in this material world, if they have no solid basis in Krishna’s plan, they remain merely dreams of phantasmagoria. So in this Krishna Consciousness Movement, I am training boys and girls all over the world how to act nicely by practically serving Krishna in their everyday lives. That is more important than trying for something which I may like to do but which will never happen.” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 10, 1972)
“Our plan should be to accept Krishna’s plan, that’s all. Approved, authorized plan. That is very easy. Take any words of Krishna, it is very easy.” (Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Tehran, August 12, 1976)
“If you follow Krishna’s instruction, you’ll always be happy. And if you create your own plans, then you’ll be unhappy. This is the whole instruction. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: (BG 18.66) ‘You give up your own plans, nonsense plan. You take My plan. You’ll be happy.’ This is the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gita. You take Krishna’s plan and you’ll be happy.” (Srila Prabhupada Conversation, April 22, 1976, Melbourne)
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26 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, disciples, guru, guru and disciple, Krishna consciousness movement, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Nandotsava, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, Vyasapuja
Vyasa Puja Reply
Letter to: Devotees
Los Angeles
26 August, 1972
72-08-26
My dear beloved Children,
Please accept my blessings. I am so much pleased with your kind and affectionate words on the occasion of my birthday anniversary on the Nandotsava day this year (1972). My Guru Maharaja wanted me to spread this Krishna Consciousness Movement in western world, and you are all helping in this great attempt.
My Spiritual Master knew it that alone I could not do this great work. Therefore He has very kindly sent you all to help me in this task. I accept you therefore as representatives of my Guru Maharaja playing as my affectionate disciples.
It is said that child is father of man. Kindly therefore continue your help in this great task and act as my young father and mother in my old age. I am
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/sda
13 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Science of Self Realization, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada Conversations, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: Caitanya Mahaprabhu, causeless mercy, Krishna consciousness movement, Padmapani das, Prabhupada connect, Science of Self Realization, The Hare Krishna Movement
My friend Padmapani Prabhu (the webmaster for Prabhupada Connect has been coming out with so many beautiful posts of late…we share another one with you here. Please visit his site if you get the chance.
“This Krishna consciousness movement is not something new, something that we have introduced or manufactured. It is authorized on the Vedic principles, authorized by acaryas like Caitanya Mahaprabhu and others. And the method is very simple; there is no loss. We are not charging anything, we are not asking for fees and giving the people some secret mantra and promising them that they will become God. No. This is open for everyone — children, women, girls, boys, old people — everyone can chant and see the results.” (Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 5)
Full Chapter More
13 Aug 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya, guru-tattva, Hare Krishna Movement, ISKCON, ISKCON History, Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness Movement, Krsna Consciousness, Vidura das
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, disciple, guru devotee, history of ISKCON, Iskcon, Krishna consciousness movement, materially concocted ideas, order of the spiritual master, spiritual advancement, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vidhura das
Here is another fine article compiled by Vidura Mahatma Prabhu, which appeared in my mailbox some time back. Some very nice quotes.
The Cause of Confusion and Dissension in the Krishna Consciousness Movement
by Vidura Mahatma Das
“When disciples do not stick to the principle of accepting the order of their spiritual master, immediately there are two opinions. Any opinion different from the opinion of the spiritual master is useless. One cannot infiltrate materially concocted ideas into spiritual advancement. That is deviation. There is no scope for adjusting spiritual advancement to material ideas.” (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi 12.9 purport)
“All the devotees connected with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position. Thus they will miss the opportunity to attain an eternal, blissful life of transcendental pleasure.”
(Chaitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 25.278 : Purport by Srila Prabhupada)
“The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless.” (CC Adi 12.10)
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11 Jul 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: 10.1.17, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, conceited demons dressed like kings, demoniac kings, executive heads of state, kings, Krishna, Krishna consciousness movement, Lord Brahma, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Supreme Personality of Godhead
I was reminded while reading the Srimad Bhagavatam today, that this is an election year.
…rogues and thieves in the guise of protectors arrange for a voting system, and in the name of democracy they come to power by hook or crook and exploit the citizens. Even long, long ago, asuras, persons devoid of God consciousness, became the heads of state, and now this is happening again. The various states of the world are preoccupied with arranging for military strength. Sometimes they spend sixty-five percent of the government’s revenue for this purpose. But why should people’s hard-earned money be spent in this way? Because of the present world situation, Kṛṣṇa has descended in the form of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is quite natural, for without the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement the world cannot be peaceful and happy.
( from purport to SB 10.1.17)
Full test and purport More
03 May 2016
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Disciplic succession, Guru & Disciple, guru-tattva, Srila Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada His Movement & You, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A. C. Bhakthvedanta Swami Prabhupada, guru, Krishna consciousness movement, spiritual master, spiritual master of the hare krishna movement, Srila Prabhupada
18 Aug 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Harinama Sankirtan, Sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, harinama sankirtan, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Krishna consciousness movement, Lord Caitanya, Radha-Damodar Traveling Sankirtan Party, RDTSKP, sankirtan, The Hare Krishna Movement, traveling temple
Harinam Sankirtana
A friend shared these images with me on Facebook and we thought we would share them with you. I loved this idea of a traveling temple, and in the 1970’s I traveled on one of the famous Radha-Damodara bus’s. This idea of bringing the holy name to every Town & Village should be encouraged throughout our society more and more. This would help unite devotees under the banner of Lord Caitanya, and bring peace to the world.
In pursuance of the order of Lord Caitanya, the devotees of the Krishna Consciousness movement should try to introduce the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra throughout the world. It is only by chanting Hare Krishna that one may get free from the disease of forgetfulness of Krishna, which is the root cause of all suffering. However one is situated, whether one is single, married or renounced, one should have the determination to go out and preach Krishna consciousness. That was the instruction of our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. (Locanananda das)
“We are saying that this Hare Krishna maha-mantra can save everyone, and we are therefore distributing it publicly, free of charge… The devotees are preaching without charge, declaring in the streets, parks, and everywhere. “Here! Here is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Come on, take it!” (POP p. 72)
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11 Apr 2013
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, ISKCON, Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness Movement, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhpada, Founder Acarya, free download, free ebook, free pdf, Krishna consciousness movement, The Hare Krishna Movement, The Hare Krishna Movement is Authorized
This is a very nice publication that came out in the early 70’s. You can read it here online or save it to your computer by clicking on the following link:
The-Krishna-Consciousness-Movement-is-Authorized-1
16 Dec 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Back to Godhead, Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Back to Godhead Magazine, BTG Vol.1 No.49, disciple, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Iskcon, Krishna consciousness movement, krsna consciousness, spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vedic formula
The Search for the Divine
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Excerpted from Back to Godhead Magazine Vol. 1, No. 49
[On his way from Los Angeles to London to attend the annual Jagannatha Car Festival, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder and spiritual master of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, paused for three days at ISKCON’s East Coast Headquarters in New York City. There he delivered a short series of public lectures, initiated twenty new disciples, gave personal directions to many of his students, and granted audience to selected guests and visitors. The following is a conversation, held in Srila Prabhupada’s personal quarters on the second afternoon of his visit, between His Divine Grace and A Newsman.]
[A newsman, with two assistants and electronic equipment, has been trying to see Srila Prabhupada.]
Newsman (whispering to Syamasundara dasa, Srila Prabhupada’s secretary): Can I ask a couple of questions, and then I’ll leave?
Syamasundara: Please, ask, yes.
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16 Aug 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krsna Consciousness the Matchless Gift, The Hare Krishna Movement, The Matchless Gift
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, books of Srila Prabhupada, eternal well-wisher, glories of Bhagavad-gita, great philosopher, great scientist, Hare Krishna, illusion, Krishna, Krishna consciousness movement, Krsna Consciousness The Matchless Gift, material world, maya, original consciousness, The Hare Krishna Movement, trancendental knowledge, Vaisnava poet, wisdom
…The best and ultimate authority is Kṛṣṇa, for He is our eternal well-wisher, and He always speaks for our benefit. Since we have to accept some authority, why not accept His? Simply by hearing of His glories from Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and by chanting His names: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, we can swiftly perfect our lives.
Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, the Matchless Gift
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter One
Spiritual Knowledge Through Kṛṣṇa
The aim of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to bring all living entities back to their original consciousness. All living entities within the material world are, to varying degrees, afflicted with a type of madness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement aims at curing man of his material disease and reestablishing his original consciousness. In a Bengali poem a great Vaiṣṇava poet has written, “When a man is haunted by ghosts, he can only speak nonsense. Similarly, anyone who is under the influence of material nature should be considered haunted, and whatever he speaks should be considered nonsense.” One may be considered a great philosopher or great scientist, but if he is haunted by the ghost of māyā, illusion, whatever he theorizes and whatever he speaks is more or less nonsensical. Today we are given the example of a psychiatrist who, when requested to examine a murderer, proclaimed that since all the patients with whom he had come in contact were more or less crazy, the court could excuse the murderer on those grounds if it so desired. The point is that in the material world it is very difficult to find a sane living entity. The prevailing atmosphere of insanity in this world is all caused by the infection of material consciousness.
The purpose of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is to bring man back to his original consciousness, which is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, clear consciousness. When water falls from the clouds, it is uncontaminated like distilled water, but as soon as it touches the ground it becomes muddy and discolored. Similarly, we are originally pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore our original constitutional position is as pure as God’s. In Bhagavad-gītā Sri Kṛṣṇa says:
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14 Jun 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, chanting Hare Krishna, God's holy name, Hare Hare, holy name, Janardana, kingdom of God, Krishna consciousness movement, Krishna Krishna, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Caitanya, Lord Jesus Christ, millions of holy names
…The Lord Has millions of holy names and you can chant any one of them, and each and every Name of the Lord is of full potential. We chant the above mentioned holy Name of the Lord because the name was Chanted by Lord Caitanya, the father of this movement of Krishna Consciousness. We follow Lord Caitanya’s footprints to achieve very quick result…
Letter to: Mr. Dambergs (senior)
New York,12 April, 1967
Dear Mr. Senior Dambergs,
Kindly accept my greetings. I am unknown to you but I have heard about you from your very good grandson Sriman Janardana (Janis). I have heard that you have been ailing since a long time but I have heard also that you are a great devotee of Lord Jesus Christ. It is very good. I am also an insignificant servant of Lord Jesus Christ because I am preaching the same message as Lord Jesus did. I’m preaching God consciousness or Krishna consciousness. Fools thought that Lord Jesus Christ was dead by crucifixion but He resurrected. All living entities are parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore they are also eternal. All our ailments are due to the external body. Although we have to suffer some time from bodily inconveniences specially in the old age, still if we are God conscious, we shall not feel the pangs. The best thing is therefore to Chant the holy Name of the Lord Constantly. I would you request you to chant always God’s holy Name. We are chanting God’s holy name always and instructing our students to do so. If you have any holy name for God do chant Him always and it will do you the greatest benefit. And by chanting so when you will be remembering Him always then you transfer to the Kingdom of God is guaranteed. When you return to the Kingdom of God there is no necessity to come back again to the rotten world full of miseries. We are chanting God’s Name as
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
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04 Jun 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Krishna Consciousness, Teachings of Lord Kapila, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavan, God, Krishna consciousness movement, krsna consciousness, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam, Lord Kapila, Son of Devahuti, Sri Krsna, Teachings of Lord Kapila
…The purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to inform everyone that no one is superior to Kṛṣṇa, God. Because many young Americans and Europeans are fortunate and know nothing of any hodgepodge god, they have taken this bona fide Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seriously. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: Bhagavān, God, means Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We have simply presented this information, saying, “Here is God. Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” Because they have taken this seriously, many young Americans and Europeans are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consequently many people are surprised to see how Americans and Europeans have become such great devotees and are dancing in ecstasy. How is it they are so advanced? They have taken the information seriously: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Whether one touches fire blindly or knowingly, fire will burn. It is not that because the fire is touched by a child, fire will not burn. These young Westerners have touched fire, and consequently it is acting as fire.
…If we hear about Kṛṣṇa, we become purified. Hearing about Kṛṣṇa means associating with Kṛṣṇa. In this way we may perfect our lives.
Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter One
The Purpose of Lord Kapila’s Advent
TEXT 1
śaunaka uvāca
kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā
bhagavān ātma-māyayā
jātaḥ svayam ajaḥ sākṣād
ātma-prajñaptaye nṛṇām
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śaunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole human race.
PURPORT
The word ātma-prajñaptaye indicates that the Lord descends for the benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the knowledge given in the Vedic literatures, which offer a program for good living and gradual elevation to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness. Once one is situated in sattva-guṇa, one’s knowledge expands. On the platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is an impetus to enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is neither knowledge nor enjoyment but simply animalistic living.
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08 Dec 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Chanting Hare Krishna, Sankirtan
Tags: chanting Hare Krishna, Iskcon, Krishna consciousness movement, Locananda dasa, Lord Caitanya, nama-sankirtan, sankirtan, Sri Panca-Tattva, Srila Prabhupada, The Hare Krishna Movement, Vaisnavas
Sri Panca Tattva Wellington New Zealand
…What the Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself proclaims to be the prime benediction for mankind, and the activity that He Himself appeared in this world to inaugurate, has been very badly neglected by ISKCON’s leaders. To attract devotees, to engage devotees and to elevate the awareness of the public, there is no better method than to perform nama-sankirtana. This same instruction was given to Lord Caitanya by His spiritual master:
“My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting Krishna-nama, for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.”
Nama Sankirtana
Editorial (VNN) – by Locanananda Das
Originally Published on Vaishnava News
By reading the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, one should become convinced that the Krishna consciousness movement is the vehicle through which the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu will deliver the entire world. But events taking place within the movement over the last twenty years have shaken everyone’s faith, and it has become very difficult to take pride in being a member of ISKCON, the organization that Srila Prabhupad risked his life to create. The year of the Centennial having come and gone, ISKCON continues to be plagued by a malaise that is rooted in its leaders’ lack of vision and apparent lack of concern for the spiritual well-being of the devotees. Compounded by the offensive banning of vaisnavas and the enactment of deviant policies, the movement has been thrown into a tailspin from which some think it may not recover.
Personally, I have tremendous faith in the system established by Srila Prabhupad. I am thoroughly convinced that there can be a reconciliation of the parties on the different sides of all current issues, but it will require that we rise above false ego and agree to do what is best for the Krishna consciousness movement.
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05 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotee's, Srila Prabhupada Conversations
Tags: always think of Me, devotional service, Krishna consciousness movement, Madhudvisa Swami, man mana bhava mad bhakto, sinful activity, surrender to Krishna, there is no difficulty
There is no difficulty
Madhudvisa prabhu (repeating question to Srila Prabhupada): “We have been here for many lifetimes performing sinful activities. So is it possible to counteract all those sinful activities in one lifetime, or does it require many…?”
Srila Prabhupada: “One minute. That is Krishna consciousness movement. One minute. You are not reading Bhagavad Gita? What Krishna says? sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami (BG 18.66) ‘You surrender unto Me. Give up your all business. I will give you relief from all sinful reaction immediately.’ So it requires one minute. ‘My dear Krishna, I was forgotten. Now I understand. I fully surrender unto you.’ Then you become immediately free from all sinful reactions.
Without any reservation, without any politics, if you fully surrender, Krishna is assuring, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah. He reassures, ‘Don’t worry whether I will be able to give you relief from all reaction’; ma sucah, finished, guaranteed. You do this. So how much time it requires to surrender to Krishna? Immediately you can do that. Surrender means you surrender and work as Krishna says.
That is surrender. What Krishna says to do? man mana bhava mad bhakto mad yaji mam namaskuru (BG 18.65); four things: ‘You always think of Me, and you become My devotee, you worship Me, and offer your respect, full obeisances unto Me’ You do these four things. That is full surrender. Mam evaisyasi asamsaya: ‘Then you come to Me without any doubt.’ Everything is there. Krishna has given everything fully. If you accept it, then life is very simple. There is no difficulty. Yes?”
The Hare Krishna Movement 